Charles Williams, 30, a married wind tunnel engineer from Bournemouth, died when his kite ditched into the sea off Southbourne beach on 11 February.

He tried to relaunch, but the kite became tangled in gale-force winds and strong currents, and acted as an anchor as he tried to swim back to shore.

Coroner Sherrif Payne gave a verdict of accidental death from drowning.

I was exhausted from having saved this man so the others performed CPR Marthinus Prinsloo

Fellow kite surfers had seen Mr Williams struggling but were too exhausted from the storm conditions to rescue him, Poole and East Dorset Coroners Court heard.

But Paratrooper Marthinus Prinsloo swam out to Mr Williams after he spotted him floating face down while he was out running.

Mr Prinsloo took a safety belt from the beach and borrowed a kite surfer's wetsuit and swam 20 metres into the sea to reach Mr Williams.

In a statement, Mr Prinsloo said: "I went into the water with the life preservation aid and swam to this person. They were still face down when I got to them.

"We dragged this person onto the beach. I was exhausted from having saved this man so the others performed CPR."

Mr Payne praised Mr Prinsloo's bravery and said he would recommend him for a civic bravery award.